Rolling my eyes, I help him lift the bag that lies on the floor and hand it over to him. But he drops down and crouches right in front of me, so I stand back up while his bag dangles off my finger.
I tilt my gaze down, seeing him tying my shoelaces.
“You got to be careful, those are a hazard especially when it comes to you.” He says annoyingly while amusement drips from each word.
“You don’t know me.”
He flicks his visor upward, “Yet clearly, you continue to bump into me on purpose or stalk me,” he pauses, “I haven’tdecided yet.”
“Did you read that line in some novel?” I sass back, arching a brow as I catch a glimpse of green in his eyes.
“Wouldn’t you like that?” He slowly rises back up, towering over my frame as he pushes his body flush against mine and takes his bag, grazing our fingers as he curls his index inside the loop and pulls it away from me.
I blink up at him as my chest heaves up and down and my breasts brush up against the lapels of his opened jacket. It’s pretty dark around but his amused gaze pierces through me as a shiver glides down my spine.
“Thanks,” his throaty voice envelops me.
“At least you’re not some creep groaning and looking through my window.” I focus on something else while my body’s temperature increases.
“Or maybe you heard someone having sex, it’s a motel you know, thin walls,” he whispers the last two words.
“That would’ve been better than bumping into you again.” I pull away, taking a couple of steps backward.
“I knew you were naughty, Grinch.” Another green reference. It sounds like a taunt just to get under my skin.
I roll my eyes at that ridiculous nickname.
“Anyway, you should keep an eye out. All kinds of people come in here, the majority are good people but there are always loose screws who try to ruin it for others.”
I pull my hair tie out of my wrist and twist my hair into a bun, “Yeah, I’m sure.” I stare at the lit palm tree a few feet from us, my fingers playing with a loose strand. A bunch of bikersseem to be getting ready to go for a ride and it itches me to go on one as well.
I turn my gaze back to him—the mysterious guy I know nothing about, yet he still looks distracting.
He pushes the bottom of his helmet upward, revealing the vertical wordHomethat is inked along the side of his neck. His fingers penetrate his full lips and push against his tongue as he blows a resounding whistle into the warm breeze.
A minute later, the two dogs I encountered earlier show up next to us, all happy and so goddamn cute, the Staffordshire jumps on him and licks the other dog countlessly.
The helmet is shoved back down—not that it showed much other than his mouth.
“Hey, beautiful.” He pets their big heart-shaped heads.
I grin because dogs are my biggest weakness on the planet. If I’m in a bad mood and I see a dog it instantly changes—they make everything better. “You know them?”
“They’re mine.” He crouches to the ground to tickle them and their jolly faces are adorable, lowering their bodies to the asphalt. “The owners babysit them for me. They’re the only animals out here unless someone brings their pets. Not many strays either.”
“Good to know.”
These purest creatures groan in pleasure as he rubs their necks.
“Let’s escort the lady back to her room,” he announces.
The German shepherd licks his helmet probably dying to remove it too. “Chaos, you’re drowning me with kisses.” And she continues without a care in the world.
I giggle to myself, watching her drool stick to his gear.
“Chaos likes kisses, Arrow likes cuddles. Isn’t it right girls?” he opens his arms wide and she jumps on him, tucking her head into the crook of his neck.
My heart melts like an ice cube in the fucking desert—maybe getting a dog is my next chapter. An emotional support furry friend is not a bad idea.
